The human body is composed of about ten trillion cells, and throughout a lifetime cells go through many damaging processes that concern their genetic programming. However, not all of these mutations result in cancer. As it turns out, many individuals actually have occult tumors throughout their bodies that are only discovered through microscopic investigation during autopsy. Therefore, there must be some mechanism that prohibits the growth and development of tumors.
Recent research has pointed to the microenvironment of potential tumors to help suppress malignant phenotype and instruct otherwise malignant cells to participate in normal development. The microenvironment may actually provide tumor suppressive signals as long as the tissue architecture is controlled, but as the structure of healthy tissue is lost, the tissue has the potential to become a tumor promoter. Thus, considering the tissue surrounding the tumor, along with the lesion, may be important in identifying potential cancerous tissue.